paranoidphantom

31 December 2024

Los Angeles (Album Review) [Music]

Los Angeles Source: Los Angeles Album Cover

Release: 2001

Genre: Power Pop, Noise Rock

Los Angeles is one of my favorite albums by the Japanese band The Brilliant Green. The album consists of 11 tracks:

  • The Lucky Star
  • Yeah I Want You Baby
  • Angel Song
  • Summer Is Over
  • Hidoi Ame
  • Falling Star in Your Eyes
  • It's Up to You
  • Kuroi Tsubasa
  • Los Angeles
  • Hello Another Way
  • I Can Hold Your Hand Baby

Right from the start, it's worth noting that with this album, the band decided to step away from their usual sound. Moving away from the lighter, more melodic pop music reminiscent of the '60s, they ventured into heavier, grittier power pop.

Every track on the album carries the essence of American rock giants from the '90s like The Pixies and Weezer. The booming bass and crunchy guitar tones create the characteristic noise of the genre. The tracks are enhanced with guitar harmonics and simple yet catchy guitar solos. Some tracks also feature synthesizers and clean or acoustic guitars, adding variety to the sound.

What truly sets this album apart, however, are the stunning vocals of Tomoko Kawase. Both Rivers Cuomo and Black Francis often sing with a raw, almost strained intensity. Kim Gordon’s voice, though not as forceful, remains low, which is standard for noise-rock. But Tomoko’s voice is the spark that makes Los Angeles stand out from many other power pop and noise rock albums. Amid the hissing, radio-static-like instrumentals, her high, powerful, and clear vocals, with a touch of reverb, lead the listener deeper and deeper into the melancholic early 2000s.

All the lyrics were written by Tomoko Kawase herself. And although I don’t understand a word of Japanese, I can feel what she wants to convey. I chose not to rely on machine translations, opting instead to listen with my heart, as music is meant to be experienced.

Her songs are free from cruelty or despair; they are more melancholic, like memories of past mistakes or missed opportunities. Yes, sometimes good times pass, and certain dreams become unreachable, but as long as we hold on to the memories and hope for a brighter future, we are still alive. These are the emotions I felt during the 41 minutes of listening to this album.

My personal favorites are: "The Lucky Star", "Angel Song", "Summer Is Over", "Los Angeles", and "Hello Another Way".

"The Lucky Star" opens the album with its driving energy and heavy guitar sound, setting the mood right from the start. In contrast, "Angel Song" offers a more dynamic experience, evolving throughout its runtime and featuring a delightful guitar solo in the second half. "Summer Is Over" reminds me of another legendary early 2000s Japanese rock band— The Pillows, a band I absolutely adore. "Los Angeles" is an instrumental track with Sonic Youth vibes, pure noise rock at its finest, though slightly more melodic. "Hello Another Way" begins as an homage to "Yesterday" of The Beatles but quickly becomes something much greater than just a tribute to the music that likely inspired The Brilliant Green's earlier albums.

Final Thoughts

Imagine a slice-of-life anime where the main characters are between 25 and 30 years old. They are still young but have started to realize that the best time—the time of endless possibilities—may be behind them. All that remains is to continue searching for their path, knowing they can’t step into the same river twice. Their mistakes and missed opportunities stay with them forever, but it is precisely those experiences that give them the strength to move forward.

Can you picture it? Maybe you even thought of Welcome to the NHK or The Tatami Galaxy. Well, that’s exactly what I want to convey—Los Angeles could easily be the soundtrack for that kind of anime.

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